Applications Open: JPP Digital Classical Japanese-English Dictionary Concept Development Team

Japan Past & Present invites applications for a short-term (2-month) team to help refine the concept for a digital Classical Japanese-English dictionary and to develop a plan for its long-term sustenance.

The digital Classical Japanese-English dictionary is envisioned as an open-access digital resource for students and readers of Classical Japanese. This project is the brainchild of editor-in-chief Haruo Shirane who, with co-editor Charles Woolley and a small core editorial team, has already been working with colleagues to develop it for a number of years. Though more work is necessary to ensure that it realizes its full potential, in its current beta form it already contains English-language definitions for some 17,000 words from sources ranging from the first books of the Man’yōshū to the early modern period and a growing number of sample sentences.

This team’s goal will be to:

• identify extant models of digital dictionaries across other fields and assess and their usefulness as references given the digital CJ-ED’s potential target audience(s)

• evaluate the existing beta version of the digital dictionary, including its content, functionality, and design, and identify any areas for improvement

• consider possible additional features that could enhance the digital CJ-ED’s value (for instance, adding images, making the dictionary multilingual, etc.)

• recommend strategies and best practices for subsequent data acquisition and creation

• recommend strategies for the digital CJ-ED’s long-term maintenance

• draft a proposal addressing these issues with recommendations for implementing the digital CJ-ED on the JPP website with reference to functionality, structure, features, content, and any other relevant information

We welcome applications from people with all sorts of backgrounds, and who are based in any location around the world. Please see below for details. For more information on the Japan Past & Present project, please read our mission statement.

Digital CJ-ED Concept Development Team (5 people)

Term: 2 months (Sept 1, 2024–Oct 31, 2024)
Location: Remote (via Zoom)
Commitment: est. 2-3 hrs/week
Compensation: $30 USD/hour*

*Variations in compensation may apply depending on laws or regulations pertaining to an applicant’s individual circumstances or institutional rules or requirements.

**Established scholars who expect to be compensated indirectly by an employer for work of this sort, or who do not feel the need to be paid, may choose to have the funds they would otherwise be provided redirected to support other JPP projects.

Eligibility:

• MA degree or equivalent (minimum)

• scholars of all disciplines, specializations, and career stages in Japanese humanities are invited to apply

• individuals who have previously served on a JPP project team within the last two years are not eligible to apply

Requirements:

• knowledge of premodern Japanese Studies

• a working knowledge of/proficiency in Classical Japanese

• an interest or expertise in dictionaries, digital or otherwise

• digital search and organizational skills

• good communication skills (particularly as part of a team)

• responsiveness to electronic communication

Application Deadline: July 26, 2024, 8pm PT

Application Requirements:

1) Form: https://forms.gle/PDBH5DziB9hMQVY68 

2) CV (max 3 pages), emailed to admin@japanpastandpresent.org

We look forward to reviewing your applications!